How can I get a theft conviction expunged from my record? 47 Answers as of November 29, 2011

Speaking in general terms, there are several significant obstacles to getting offenses expunged in Michigan. Expunging a criminal charge is great way of clearing up past mistakes. However, there are a series of obstacles. First, a person may expunge only one prior conviction and they can only have "no more than 2 minor offenses in addition to the offense for which the person files an application." MCL 780.621(1). Second, certain offenses cannot be expunged. Traffic offenses for example, even something as simple as driving on a suspended license, a lot of high level or capital felonies, and other offenses as listed in the applicable statutes, cannot be expunged. It depends on which offense is currently on the person's record. Additionally, even if a person only had one offense, if they had issues with probation, i.e., probation violations or other infractions while serving their sentence, that may be obstacle as well. There is also a time limitation. Any effort to expunge an offense cannot commence until five years after the date of conviction. Lastly, expunging an offense from a criminal record takes time, requires a lot of paperwork, carries some notable costs, and eventually, applicants need to appear before a judge and convince the judge that they are worthy of having the offense expunged in order to complete the process.

1. collect proof that you complied with probation. (Do this by going to probation and asking for their records) Go to the court and get proof that you paid any fines or fees to the Superior Court. 2. Write a motion pursuant to California Penal Code Section 1203.4 and Penal Code Section 17(b). Include with the motion a proposed order for the judge to sign. This motion asks the court to reduce the charge to a misdemeanor and to dismiss the case. (If the case is not a wobler, then you do not need the motion pursuant to 17(b) because straight felonies cannot be reduced to a misdemeanor.) Include written proof of compliance with the terms of probation and any written evidence of rehabilitation. Make a total of five copies of the original. (So you will have six total) 3. File the original motion with the court in the county that you were convicted. The court will give you a date that the motion will be heard and the department that the motion will be heard. Ask the clerk to stamp one copy for your records. Write the date, time and department on the remaining copies. Have someone 18 years old or older other than yourself, file a copy of the motion with the Sheriff, Probation department, the District Attorney, and the arresting agency if it was not the same Sheriff's office 4. attend the hearing and the judge will rule. If he grants the motion, he will sign the order. Get a copy of the order and mail it to the California Department of Justice. It is important to understand that if you complied with all of the terms of probation then the judge has to grant the motion. If you violated probation, the judge can grant it but he has the authority to deny it also. A lawyer can help you do this, however if you cannot afford a lawyer you should be able to follow the steps above.

If you were actually convicted of any crime (adjudicated guilty), you will not be able to seal or expunge your record. Each case must be evaluated individually. If you had a withhold of adjudication, you may qualify for a sealing if it the offense was not one of the prohibited offenses, listed in the Fla. Stat. 943.059. In order to qualify for an expungement, the charges against you must have been dropped completely, and you have never been adjudicated of any crime.

In Massachusetts if you have a felony conviction on your record you have the right to seal that record 15 years from the day your probation or parole terminated. As of May 2012 you can seal that conviction in 10 years. Sealing the record allows you to state to any employer that you have no record. The conviction will not appear on any record search. There is one difficulty. Most police departments send fingerprints of all arrestees to the FBI. The FBI keeps a database of all arrests with your name and the crime. That is very difficult to seal. If an employer does a national search the felony may appear on that search. You then have to provide documentation to your employer that the matter was sealed.

There is no expungement law in Alabama. There has been in the past an expungement bill pending in the Legislature but it is yet to pass. I suggest that you first apply to have your civil rights reinstated you start the process at the State Office of Probation & Paroles. It is my understanding that if an expungement law were to be enacted, which could expunge a felony conviction, it would require that your civil rights be reinstated first.

You can only expunge cases that were dismissed or resulted in a not guilty verdict after a trial.

Generally, the record will be expunged after a specific period of time, whether a felony or a misdemeanor. Generally, misdemeanors can be expunged after three years, except for DV and DUI.

Google California Penal Code and look at 1203.4. Most clerks have forms for this relief. However you are probably laboring under the same delusion as most people. Expungment does not mean theytake a magic marker and cross out your name.Since most employers now require that you sign a waiver letting them see your rap sheetthey will quickly find that you did have a felony conviction. Unfortunately there is no way to remove this from your record in any meaningful way.

Go to the court where you were convicted. Ask at the clerk's office what you need to do, and they will show you.

Depends on whether you went to prison. If not, you can reduce the felony to a misdemeanor pursuant to Penal Code Section 17b and then get an order of dismissal (expungement) pursuant to Penal Code Section 1203.4. If you went to prison (or if it was an Execution of Sentence Suspended sentence) then you need to file for a certificate of rehabilitation.